Youngsters from the Edward Fenn School in Gorham gather for the walking school bus at the information booth on the town common. Note the sign for moose tours, a sure indication this town is located north of the notches on September 26th.

A major advantage of a walking school bus is adult supervision, which ensures that children cross the street safely. Walking as a group also provides safety in numbers, preventing bullying and other forms of violence and crime against kids.

These kids may look like they are equipped for a wilderness expedition, but they are just carrying the heavy backpacks that burden many of today's school children.

Residential streets in Gorham form a compact grid system near the elementary school, and an extensive sidewalk system is cleared of snow soon after a storm. Once kids reach a wide driveway leading to the school, only pavement markings separate them from motor vehicles. Municipal government and the school will soon build a new sidewalk to make the route safer for children who get to school under their own power. The project has been selected for reimbursement funding in New Hampshire's first round of Safe Routes to School awards. One popular form of recreational transportation has been banned from the route.

Kids who walk to school become members of the Walking School Bus Club. Each trip made on foot earns a student a star on a sneaker cutout.

Kids at the Edward Fenn School in Gorham go outside to play and burn off excess energy for a short period before classes start. This youngster seems to have had enough of winter. He's one of the most regular participants in the Wednesday walking school bus.